Dr. Bill von Hippel

Half of East Asia, half of Western Europe. They're just shrinking crazy fast. They're demolishing houses. Japan is demolishing houses. There's nobody to buy them.

Half of East Asia, half of Western Europe. They're just shrinking crazy fast. They're demolishing houses. Japan is demolishing houses. There's nobody to buy them.

Yeah, the average child rate in a lot of these countries is around 1.5 to 1.7. Very, very low.

Yeah, the average child rate in a lot of these countries is around 1.5 to 1.7. Very, very low.

Well, we'd still be having sex. We just wouldn't be having kids, right?

Well, we'd still be having sex. We just wouldn't be having kids, right?

Well, that varies. Yeah, lots and lots of us are having less sex. There's reasons for that that probably have more to do with ecotoxicology than with psychology. There's so many hormone mimics in our environment and plastics and various pollutants that... that change our endocrine system, that reduce sperm counts. We think that's what's going on.

Well, that varies. Yeah, lots and lots of us are having less sex. There's reasons for that that probably have more to do with ecotoxicology than with psychology. There's so many hormone mimics in our environment and plastics and various pollutants that... that change our endocrine system, that reduce sperm counts. We think that's what's going on.

And reduced sperm count often is associated with reduced sex drive, etc.

And reduced sperm count often is associated with reduced sex drive, etc.

Well, the main thing is that because humans didn't evolve to want children, you can't just play on there. Don't you really want children? Because the answer is often no. What you want to do is you want to make having kids to be as much of the plus as it possibly can be and as little of the minus. So if you look at kids, they're really interesting.

Well, the main thing is that because humans didn't evolve to want children, you can't just play on there. Don't you really want children? Because the answer is often no. What you want to do is you want to make having kids to be as much of the plus as it possibly can be and as little of the minus. So if you look at kids, they're really interesting.

There's some wonderful work by Danny Kahneman who won the Nobel Prize. And he asks you in the moment, what are you doing and how much fun it is? And what he finds is no surprise if you're having sex when you got the request and now you probably waited until you were done before you answered your beeper. But you said, oh, I'm having a great time. And as it goes, TV was actually in second place.

There's some wonderful work by Danny Kahneman who won the Nobel Prize. And he asks you in the moment, what are you doing and how much fun it is? And what he finds is no surprise if you're having sex when you got the request and now you probably waited until you were done before you answered your beeper. But you said, oh, I'm having a great time. And as it goes, TV was actually in second place.

Watching TV is good fun in the moment. And then a little way down the list is like doing dishes, doing laundry. If you're with your kids, you're on average about doing the dishes or doing the laundry. That's how much fun your kids are. But if you ask people, what gives you great satisfaction in life? What makes you happy? Nobody says, I'm crazy happy because I've watched a ton of TV.

Watching TV is good fun in the moment. And then a little way down the list is like doing dishes, doing laundry. If you're with your kids, you're on average about doing the dishes or doing the laundry. That's how much fun your kids are. But if you ask people, what gives you great satisfaction in life? What makes you happy? Nobody says, I'm crazy happy because I've watched a ton of TV.

That's just not an answer anyone's ever given. Or because I've folded my laundry really well. What they do say, though, is, oh, my kids give me enormous joy. So how could it be both? How could it be that on average your kids are as much fun as the laundry, but when you look back on your life, they're the key thing?

That's just not an answer anyone's ever given. Or because I've folded my laundry really well. What they do say, though, is, oh, my kids give me enormous joy. So how could it be both? How could it be that on average your kids are as much fun as the laundry, but when you look back on your life, they're the key thing?

And what we think the answer is is that they provide these peak moments that laundry simply doesn't, right? No matter how well you fold your clothes, it's not exciting, but your kids have these amazing moments in their lives that you get to be part of as you see the world through new eyes again. And for good evolutionary reasons where you get your whole—

And what we think the answer is is that they provide these peak moments that laundry simply doesn't, right? No matter how well you fold your clothes, it's not exciting, but your kids have these amazing moments in their lives that you get to be part of as you see the world through new eyes again. And for good evolutionary reasons where you get your whole—